As a child, I remember hearing people talk about where they were when John F. Kennedy was assassinated—a moment so significant that it was forever etched in their memories. For my generation, September 11, 2001, became that day—a day none of us will ever forget. The weight of that tragedy is something we all carry with us.
The day started unusually for me. I was in Secaucus, New Jersey, for my first business trip since becoming a mom the year before, in January. It was my first time away from my daughter, and while I was excited to be attending a class and reconnecting with colleagues, I felt that tug of apprehension about being so far from home. Our class was set to begin at 9 a.m., and we were gathered with coffee in hand, getting ready to start the day when a commotion broke out. People began heading to the lobby where the TV news was reporting that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. Confusion filled the room as no one was quite sure what was happening. I quickly called my husband to check in, letting him know I was okay, and hoping he had more information to share, but the gravity of what was unfolding was far from clear at that point.
As the minutes passed, more details emerged. When the second plane struck, the mood in the room shifted to deep concern. People who lived locally started talking about friends and family who worked in or around the Towers. I remember desperately trying to get in touch with one of my closest friends who lived in New York at the time, but the phone lines were jammed with calls. From our hotel, we could see the smoke rising from the Towers. The fear and disbelief in the room were palpable.
As the events of the day continued to unfold, my thoughts shifted to how I would get back to my family in Minnesota. With flights canceled indefinitely, those of us from the Midwest banded together, trying to find a way home. Eventually, one of the members in our group found a van for rent, and we piled in for a long, somber 12-hour drive back to Chicago, making stops in Ohio and Michigan along the way. We were strangers at the start of the journey, but that drive bonded us. We shared updates from the radio, news outlets, and phone calls with loved ones, but mostly we shared the same deep desire to be home with our families.
By midnight, I found myself at a Chicago suburb gas station, about 20 minutes from my in-law’s house, waiting for them to pick me up. When I finally made it back to my husband and daughter the next morning, after a six-hour drive, I don’t think I had ever been more grateful to hold them and know that we were safe and together again.
In the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, the entire country shifted. My aunt, Cindy Frisch, was running A Stars & Stripes Corporation at the time, and like many businesses, she was facing enormous changes. With a renewed sense of patriotism sweeping across the country, there was an enormous demand for custom flags made in the USA, and US flag products. To meet the increase in demand, Cindy invited me to come work with her and learn the business. It felt like a meaningful way to contribute during a time of national healing, and I took the opportunity to immerse myself in the flag industry. Six years later, in 2007, I would go on to purchase the business from my aunt, and I’ve been running it ever since.
September 11th was a day of profound tragedy and loss, but in the days that followed, the spirit of unity across our country was something unlike anything I had ever seen. The resilience, love, and compassion that emerged in the wake of such heartbreak reminded us all of what it truly means to be an American.
As we remember and reflect on that day, I hope our country can find a way to get back to a time where we are unified and proud to be an American. We honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost, the first responders who ran toward danger, and the countless individuals who were forever changed. Though the years have passed, the memory of that day and its impact remains vivid in our hearts. Let’s take a moment to remember the victims, the heroes, and the enduring strength of our nation. In unity, we stand together, remembering not only what we lost but also what we hold dear.